The Sacramento State women’s cross country team placed second and the men’s team took third in the 25th annual Gator Invitational, hosted by San Francisco State at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park on Friday.

Sophomore Justine Rea led the women’s team for the first time this season, finishing fifth overall with a time of 22:31 in the 6k. The finish was 25 seconds faster than her race at the Stanford Invitational Sept. 24.

Junior Mark Frazier led the Sac State men with a time of 25:54 in the 8k race, placing 15th overall.

Sac State’s McKenzie Paul (seventh/22:37), Breanna Lewis (11th/22:50), Lauren Mugnaini (13th/23:01) and Ashley Chavez (15th/23:16) all finished in the top 20 individually in the women’s race.

Junior men’s runner Benny Willers tallied Sac State’s second fastest time at 26:02, 22nd overall, and Steven Kutsch ran the race at 26:11, finishing third for Sac State and 26th overall.

San Francisco State finished first in the men’s race with 68 points. Junior Brian Trejo led the team with a time of 25:37, tenth overall. Junior Tyler Deniston placed 16th, running 25:56 and Bruk Assefa, followed closely behind at 25:58.

USF took first for the women with 29 points. Junior Alice Baker ran the second fastest time overall at 21:53. Junior Mary Sandri was fourth individually with a run of 22:30. Junior Sahar Bala finished 10th, running 22:47.

Hartnell College alumnus and 2009 California Community College Runner of the Year, Daniel Tapia finished first overall in the men’s race with a time of 24:35.

Pomona College 2010 alumna Alicia Freese ran the fastest women’s time at 21:42.

San Diego Mesa’s team finished second in the men’s race with 83 points. Humboldt State and USF tied for fourth place with 110 points.

Cal State Stanislaus finished third in the women’s race with 91 points. San Francisco State (99 points) and Santa Clara (143 points) rounded out the top five.

Sac State’s women’s team finished with 46 points and the men’s team had 97 points.

The women’s race included 13 schools and 140 runners.

The men’s race had 16 participating schools and 163 runners.

Sac State’s next meet is Oct. 15 at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational.

Katie McMillin can be reached at [email protected].